The present invention relates to temporary shelters or enclosures for watercraft vehicles and, more particularly, a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle which includes a roof adapted to be ejected and deployed from the floor of a flybridge and sidewalls raised from the hull of the watercraft vehicle. Moreover, the sidewalls are formed of stackable and linked independent sections which, when deployed, maintain a vertically erect sidewall and, when retracted, are generally concealed under the gunnel or floor of the watercraft vehicle.
Millions of dollars are spent building watercraft vehicles which are able to either cruise or fish. Some fishing boats have a cabin area which may be at least partially enclosed and an open stern to permit fishing. Additionally, some fishing boats have an elevated flybridge from which the boat may be navigated. These fishing boats are not manufactured with the same amenities as a yacht designed for cruising, Yachts for cruising typically provide for a fully enclosed cabin and stern.
Several devices have been patented which are directed to temporary watercraft enclosures.
PCT WO 94/06676, entitled xe2x80x9cA COVER DEVICExe2x80x9d (international publication date Mar. 31, 1994), describes a cover device comprised of a fastening arch which seems to be secured to the hull of the boat. The fastening arch has coupled thereto a plurality of cover sheets which, when in a non-extracted position, are inside the fastening arch. Some of the cover sheets are adapted to be manually pulled or automatically extracted forward to the front portion of the boat (the visor). The remaining cover sheets are adapted to be manually pulled or automatically extracted rearward to the end of the hull and secured thereto via a strip. In one embodiment of the cover device, the cover sheets can be automatically extracted and retracted by means of a motor or the like.
The device of PCT 94/06676 appears to open and close along an arc thus forming a dome. The dome does not appear to enclose all of the potential xe2x80x9ccabin-spacexe2x80x9d that exists between the stern portion of a flybridge and the stern.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,411, issued to Wick, entitled xe2x80x9cHATCH FOR BOATxe2x80x9d, describes a hatch assembly which is adapted to be slid in and out of the hatch cover. The hatch assembly includes a roof, a hinged front wall and hinged sidewalls. The hatch assembly is described as capable of being slid from three positions. In the first position, the roof is in a retracted position under the hatch cover. Sliding the hatch assembly rearward to the third position allows the hatch assembly to be raised. In other words, as the roof is slid rearward from under the hatch cover, the front wall is capable of being raised so that it becomes vertical. Thereafter, the sidewalls can be pulled out by hand and dropped into a vertical position. In an alternate embodiment, the Wick patent describes the addition of a rear wall. While the Wick patent provides a roof which is slid rearward in substantially the horizontal plane, the arrangement of the hatch assembly requires that the sidewalls, when retracted, be substantially parallel to the horizontal plane and are manually pulled down (rotated) to the vertical plane.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,438, issued to Richardson, Jr. et al., entitled xe2x80x9cAPPARATUS FOR FLEXIBLE MARINE WINDOWS,xe2x80x9d is primarily directed to an apparatus to prevent singeing of the transparent material forming the windows of a temporary shelter for a marine vessel. However, the Richardson, Jr. et al. patent describes and illustrates the details of the temporary shelter with respect to the rear end of the vessel""s hull. The temporary shelter includes a canvas roof and a plurality of side panels having windows, which are capable of being supported by a supporting framework. However, the framework of the Richardson, Jr. et al. appears to be fixed and not deployable. Further, Richardson, Jr. et al. does not describe an automatically deployable enclosure assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,762, issued to Hage, entitled xe2x80x9cSLIDING TOPxe2x80x9d describes a sliding top movable lengthwise of the hull. The sliding top is defined by two U-shaped sections which are slidably engaged with two parallel track formations. It should be further noted that the sliding top, in general, comprises sides having transparent panels; and, that the sides and roof form a unitary piece.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,663,347, issued to Miller, entitled xe2x80x9cMARINE VESSEL,xe2x80x9d describes a marine vessel having a permanent enclosure. This enclosure is described as having a door and a plurality of transparent panels. Miller does not teach deployment or retraction of the enclosure assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,016, issued to Hansen, entitled xe2x80x9cCOLLAPSIBLE FRAME STRUCTURE FOR BOAT ROOFxe2x80x9d discloses a collapsible frame structure made of hollow aluminum tubing which is adapted to support a flexible covering to form a convertible top over the cockpit of the boat. The frame structure includes pivotal connections which allow the convertible top to be opened and closed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,312, issued to Bouvart, entitled xe2x80x9cCONVERTIBLE CRAFT,xe2x80x9d discloses a removable stem which is adapted to cover the navigation cabin. The removable stem is coupleable between the visor and the frame.
Japanese Patent No. 55-72490, issued to Yui, entitled xe2x80x9cCONFIGURATION ON DECK OF FRP SMALL BOATxe2x80x9d describes and illustrates an enclosure for a deck of a boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,601, issued to Robbins, entitled xe2x80x9cCANOPY FOR PICKUP TRUCKSxe2x80x9d describes a canopy for pickup trucks which includes, in general, a unitary structure (defined by a roof and side panels) which is made of a tough, optically transparent plastic. The rear panel includes a hinged swinging window.
There is a need for a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for use on a watercraft vehicle such as a fishing boat that permits the best of both cruising and fishing and which can be deployed and retracted on-demand, manually or automatically.
Further there is a continuing need to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly which provides a cabin-like area in an otherwise open stern of a vessel.
Moreover, there is a continuing need for a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly which transforms a sportfishing vessel into a motor yacht vessel on-demand.
As will be seen more fully below, the present invention is substantially different in structure, methodology and approach from that of the prior temporary shelters or enclosures for watercraft vehicles.
The preferred embodiment of the retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle of the present invention solves the aforementioned problems in a straight forward and simple manner.
Broadly, what is provided is a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle wherein the watercraft vehicle comprises a cabin, a hull, a gunnel, a stern and a flybridge. The present invention contemplates a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly which comprises: a retractable/deployable roof secured and stored under the flybridge and adapted to be deployed in a horizontal plane therefrom; a plurality of retractable/deployable sidewalls disposed in a vertical plane wherein the plurality of sidewalls has a fully raised position, a partially raised position and a lowered position; and, a hydraulic lift system adapted to lift the plurality of sidewalls vertically to one of the partially raised position and the fully raised position and, alternately, lower the plurality of sidewalls to the lowered position.
The present invention contemplates a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly which comprises a plurality of retractable/deployable sidewalls which comprises: framed sidewall sections in side-by-side relation wherein each framed sidewall section has parallel vertical sides hingedly coupled together via pivot links which sequentially train adjacent framed sidewall section to unfold and lift or, alternately, fold and retract sequentially one-by-one said frame sidewall sections.
The present invention contemplates a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly which comprises a plurality of sidewalls which, automatically on-demand, can be deployed or retracted; a roof which can be deployed or retracted over the sidewalls in synchronization with retraction and deployment of the sidewalls; a sidewall support system adapted to support and, in the case of the automatic embodiment, actually lift the sidewalls into place during deployment.
The present invention further contemplates a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle which includes foldable or stackable sidewalls wherein each sidewall is independently foldable or stackable and, when deployed, is unfolded or unstacked to maintain a vertically erect sidewall. Moreover, when the enclosure assembly is retracted, the sidewalls collapse (either by folding or stacking) and are tucked away in various recesses in the hull.
The present invention contemplates a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly having a roof which is also concealed or stowed when the enclosure assembly is in its retracted state, slides out of its enclosure assembly to mate with the top of the sidewalls when the enclosure assembly is deployed, and is adapted to fit on top of the sidewalls. In a preferred embodiment, the roof is made of sections which are linked and allow the roof to collapse by the folding or stacking of the various sections.
The present invention contemplates a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly which can be entirely contained within the pre-existing hull of the watercraft vehicle thereby the usable deck area or space is not diminished or compromised.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly which is designed to provide a cabin-like area in an otherwise open stern of a watercraft vehicle. The cabin-like area can be deployed on demand and, when not needed, can be retracted and tucked away in various recesses in the hull such as under a gunnel cap.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle which is retractable and deployable on-demand either automatically or manually.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle in which the sidewalls and roof can easily collapse or fold into a stowed state for easy and concealed stowage on the boat.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an automatically retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle with rigid and non-transparent sidewalls which create a private cabin environment, on-demand, on the vessel.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle which allows an otherwise sportfishing boat to function as or be temporarily converted to a leisure or yachting craft with little or no valuable open space sacrificed.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle which is preferably sealed so that a cool air environment produced with air conditioning may be maintained within the enclosure assembly.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle which would allow at least partial deployment of the sidewalls to provide added protection to prevent young children from falling overboard.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle which would allow for deployment of the port and starboard sidewalls with the roof alone and not the rear sidewall in order to permit sheltered fishing in inclement weather.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle which provides a temporary enclosure assembly which creates an air conditioned room with a great view of the water.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle which provides an enclosure assembly to protect the occupants from adverse weather conditions.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle which increases the leisure space on the vessel while maintaining privacy and security.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle which increases the environmentally controlled leisure space on the vessel while maintaining sun-deck areas (as sun bathers can continue to sun bathe on the deployed roof).
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle which increases the leisure space on the vessel so as to mitigate xe2x80x9ccabin feverxe2x80x9d which is prone to occur on long boat rides (especially in rough or rainy weather).
In view of the above objects, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle which can be readily adapted to be installed in the existing fleet of sportfishing boats.
The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the drawings, the description given herein, and the appended claims.